The First Cost You Should Cut
is Training…WRONG!

By Alec Pleet

The economy is in a tailspin, spending is down, and the last thing on any business owner’s mind is spending more money. “Discretionary” expenses, such as employee training and reward programs, are often the first line items to be cut and the last elements to be implemented in a soft economy. Many business owners believe this money is better saved then spent.  However, it is exactly this type of shortsighted thinking that leads to crippled long-term growth. 

“You Have to Spend Money to Make Money”

This old adage couldn’t be more accurate when applied to the area of ongoing employee training and education. It is sometimes said that the best time to advertise is when no one else is. In a similar vein, training is a necessary component to surviving tough economic times and laying stepping stones for future success. When everyone else is making cuts in the area of employee education, you have the opportunity to secure an advantage over you competitors by implementing training programs. Besides, results from training are immediate; what is learned today can be applied on the sales floor to make more money the very same day.

Train Your Winners

You know a winning employee when you see him or her. They are recognizable from the minute they first interview for the job for their enthusiasm, savvy, and persuasiveness. These qualities ensure future sales success and are exactly why you hired them. ‘Winners’ are the employees you should be training. Not only are winners an eager audience, but they are also the type to make the very most of the training they receive. Winning veteran employees will see their original enthusiasm and fire relit, whereas newer winners will be receptive to new ideas on how to make money and grow the business.

Ride the Winners

Too often training is aimed at your weakest consultants.  You feel better training poor performers because you think that they need it most.  Often, those poor results are a product of their attitude, not their skill level.  Riding the winners makes sense.  If you have someone that does 5 sales a month and they get 50% better after training, then you’ve gained 2.5 sales.  But, if a winner, who writes 20 sales per month gets just 25% better you gain 5 sales a month!  Your best people already have the motivation and a successful base to build on.  Help them succeed and the results will be there.  It doesn’t matter how many times you whip a nag, it won’t get to the finish line first.  Train your thoroughbreds!

Training is like a College Dorm Room

It may seem like a strange analogy, but continually educating your employees is really like cleaning your college dorm room. You remember your student quarters, right? Small, cramped, and chaotic are words that may come to mind. If you were like most people, you let the tidiness level deteriorate until it was completely intolerable (or your parents came to visit). In hindsight, it would have made much more sense to do a little each day to maintain a consistent level of tidiness. The same concept can be applied to employee training, but instead of tidiness, we’re talking productivity. If you train on a regular basis, you will most likely maintain a high level of productivity.

Poor Sales Figures = Poor Training

If you are still making the same amount of money after implementing a sales training program as you were before, don’t be tempted to make a cut and save money. Take a look at the quality of the training your employees are receiving. If your figures still haven’t increased despite your investment, see this as a call to action to change the way you are training your employees. Increased or consistently high sales will always result from a solid, effective, and dynamic training program.

Keep Training Fresh

One challenge to the effectiveness of traditional sales trainings is the total lack of fresh perspectives and interactivity. These two qualities grab and inspire employees to not only pay attention, but apply techniques and principles right away. Many training programs simply rehash basic sales techniques: greet, qualify, present, close. It is the same every time, and this is boring to teach, to learn, and to apply. It is no wonder the figures have been lackluster. Consider changing the voice and framing used to present these ideas and watch your employees begin to deliver results.

Make Training Interactive.  Training is a CONTACT sport.

You can’t watch someone box and know how to fight.  It takes practice.  You have to be engaged in the process or you are going to get knocked out!  Another essential element to dynamic, result oriented sales training is interactivity. Regardless of their own sales experience or track record, an effective trainer will by no means do all the talking. The best trainers ensure students have ample time to practice newly presented principles through role playing activities because they know people learn by using all their faculties. Hearing, seeing, writing, and doing through role plays enable trainees to fully understand, get comfortable with, and implement key sales techniques.

The failure to train your employees is an accurate reflection on how feel about running your business. By not training your employees, you are sending the message that they know everything there is to know. This leads to complacency on the sales floor and results in sagging performance. Failure to train also assumes that employees are completely self-motivated – which is seldom the case. Regular, consistent training programs will not only provide a renewed motivation, but long-term business growth.